Pitts files resolution for impeachment of UT regent

Rep. Jim Pitts early Monday filed a resolution seeking impeachment of University of Texas regent Wallace Hall for filing a false application prior to his appointment and for pursuing “burdensome” records requests that have impeded university operations.

At the heart of the controversy is an ongoing dispute between a faction of University regents and UT-Austin president William C. Powers, who has been critical of some regent decisions.

In his resolution, Pitts refers to Hall’s application for the position of regent, which failed to disclose some business litigation against him: “Wallace L. Hall Jr., a member of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, may have obtained that office through misrepresentation of material facts regarding his experience and qualifications in a manner that violates the penal laws of this state.”

The resolution also complains about records requests which Pitts has referred to as a “witch hunt” to find an excuse to fire Powers:

“Mr. Hall, while holding office as a member of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System, may have abused that office by making numerous unreasonably burdensome, wasteful, and intrusive requests for information of certain University of Texas System institutions as a member of the board of regents as well as on his own behalf; and…has exhibited behavior that calls into question his fitness for office by giving the incorrect and misleading impression to certain institutions and personnel of The University of Texas System that certain actions taken and requests for information made by him were approved by the board of regents, when in fact the actions taken or requests made were without approval of the board of regents.”

Pitts has said he has the support of the Texas House to pursue the impeachment of Hall. It would be the first regent impeachment in Texas history. To suspend rules to vote on the measure would require a vote of two-thirds of the membership present. The Legislature’s special session concludes Tuesday at midnight.